Square One
by Celyia
Summary: Two years ago, Sarah entered a mystical land called the Underground in order to rescue the brother she had accidentally banished there. Now she must return after a friend speaks unthinking words.
1. Fast Forward

  
_Title: _Square One   
_Rating: _PG   
_Content: _ Romance. I admit it :-)   
_Disclaimer: _Labyrinth is property of its assorted copyright holders.   
_Note: _Grammar is not my forte. Please overlook my lack of it. Oh, and this is a companion piece to _The Morning After_   
_Feedback: _[Please. :-)][1] Whether you hate it or love it, please just let me know if you've read it :-)   
  
  
  


**Chapter One**   
  


She gazed out of the window, closing her eyes to dull the wistful ache that the beautiful pinks and oranges of the sky ignited in her as they danced longingly around the setting sun, succumbing, almost joyfully, to the night's embrace. The cool fingers of the dying light teased her cheeks with a seemingly playful intent, announcing in their faded glories: "You may not see us for a while, but do not dare forget!". 

Sarah smiled gently as she opened her eyes to watch the sun slowly ebb out of existence, her fingertips absently tracing the polished wood of the windowsill as the magnificent show came to a reluctant close. 

"As if I could forget..." she breathed whimsically as she stared at the empty night sky. Empty? she immediately corrected herself with a slight huff. No. That delightful...no, magical field of stars called to her just as much as the sun did, begging her to pluck the myriad of lights from the heavens to keep safely in a garden of fancy. 

With a heavy sigh, the young woman turned away from her impromptu reverie and looked to the pile of books on her desk. 

"Bleh!" Sarah grumbled as she walked towards the offensive stack. With a melodramatic sigh, she collapsed into the chair as she begrudgingly glanced over the titles. 

"Elementary Physics," she read aloud distastefully, pushing the top book to the side. "Advanced Spanish. Calculus. English." 

She looked back towards the window, her large eyes pensive as she wished for any excuse to get out of studying. Deep chocolate eyes roamed back to her desk, falling upon the ornate brass handle of the desk drawer. A private smile tugged at her full lips as she considered the drawer thoughtfully. 

"It's not like I *really* need to study, anyway," Sarah told herself in a firm, assured voice. A slender, white hand strayed down to white-washed drawer, her fingers lingering uncertainly on the cold metal. A strangely guilty look fleeted over the pretty features as she hesitantly opened the drawer and recovered a small, silk-wrapped object from its bowels. 

She wrinkled a pert nose dubiously as she hefted the item in a hand, a part of her terrified at the idea of even touching the forbidden object, but another... well, impatient for the deed to be done. 

"It's not as if I'm going to read it," Sarah assuaged her worries in a bare whisper as her eyes traced over the old, white silk. "And even if I did, I learned my lesson... Surely there's no harm in simply looking at it?" 

Reverently, she ran a finger over the covered book, her lips curving into a smile as the recent memories seemed to flood her mind's eye. The wonder, the beauty of it all! was there ever a time in her life that was more precious? more sacred? Sarah shook her head slowly as she placed the covered book on the desk. And as wonderful as the memories may be.. of a reality filled with magic... the same idea shook her to the core. This discovery had nearly cost her her infant brother. And for that reason alone, she should always shun it. 

Always. 

So why didn't it ever seem to work that way? Oh, a part of her was perfectly well aware of the dangers she faced while jaunting through the mystical world of the Labyrinth, but it had faded far from her mind, leaving only a slight feeling of unease among the sheer magic of the adventure. 

"Sarah!" a slightly hoarse but definitely female voice broke into her thoughts. Sarah nodded to herself as she recognised the voice of her stepmother. 

"Yes, Karyn?" she answered, rising to her feet as she went to open her bedroom door. 

"Dee and Chloe are here." Sarah winced as she noticed the disapproval in her stepmother's voice and realised that Dee probably recognised it as well. 

"Oh, thanks!" she stepped through the threshold and peered down the wooden staircase. "Come on up, guys." 

Dee grunted, readjusting the diaper bag on her shoulder as she gave Karyn a weak smile. 

"Thanks, Mrs. Williams," the short girl nodded as she began to ascend the staircase, her child clutched against her chest with a small, callused hand. 

Karyn inclined her head, biting her lower lip as she watched the young mother hold the child in what could be considered a rather precarious grip. 

Perhaps Sarah caught a whiff of her stepmother's overprotective nature, but she couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief as Dee finally scaled the stairs. With a bright smile, she pulled the diaper bag Dee's shoulder and entered her room. 

"Didn't realise Chloe would be coming tonig..." 

Dee immediately interrupted her with a shake of the head, pointedly speaking in a low voice. "She's been grouchy all day. Don't wanna do anything to start that old fit up." 

Frowning, Sarah nodded as she deposited the diaper bag near her bed. "Well, um... the crib is in Toby's room. Give me a moment and I'll bring it in here. Toby won't be needing it this weekend..." 

"Naaaah. Thanks, though. So they are really leaving you behind, huh?" Dee asked as she carefully placed her daughter on the center of the bed, stacking the pillows around her as soft guardrails. 

Sarah shrugged, blowing a straggle of dark brown hair from her eyes. "Well, yeah. It will be one year ago tomorrow that Grandpa passed away. Grandma really shouldn't be ..." 

Dee nodded, waving her hand in dismissal. "Yeah. She like shouldn't be. But aren't they like worried you are gonna through some wild parties..." Dee grinned evilly at her, exposing straight, white teeth. 

"Dolores Magdelena Esperanza!" Sarah grumbled as she put her hands on her hips in mock offense. "That sounds more like a..." 

Dee growled as she waved towards the baby. 

Sarah continued in a lower voice, a part of her wondering just exactly how feigned this "mock" offense she was playing at was. "That sounds more like a suggestion to me... No parties!" 

With a grunt, Dee turned towards the door. Sarah winced as she noticed the moistness forming around her eyes. With a sigh, she set upon distracting her easily overwrought friend. 

"So I thought Chloe was going to stay with your mother this weekend so we could study?" Sarah asked quietly as she looked silently towards the child sleeping on her bed. Beautiful thing, really, she thought as her eyes traced the gentle lines of the plump infant cheeks which dimpled even in slumber. Dark curls covered the child's head in almost a rough semblance of a cap, framing the anglic face. 

Her own deep, brown eyes swung to the young mother's as Dee answered. 

"Yeah, yeah. Mom flaked out on me, you know," huffing in disgust, Dee took a moment to primp in the mirror. A well-manicured nail tapped at flawlessly painted lips as she smiled briefly at her reflection. Suddenly, she turned to face Sarah. "She says that I don't spend enough time with the baby... that I treat her more like a little sister than my daughter." 

Sarah, amazingly enough, kept a neutral face. 

Dee rolled her eyes towards the heavens in a plea for the strength to deal with such unwarranted stupidity she found in the guise of her parents. "She told me... like get this, Sare, that she's not doing me any favours by watching Chloe so much. Like, as if!" She groaned loudly, frowning as she realised her child began to stir in the bed. "I don't see *how* she could possibly think she's helping me by making me watch the kid when I have all these exams coming up on Monday! And dammit, Sarah! It's only Friday now!" 

Sarah winced commiseratingly as she glanced at her best friend. "Parents can be a bit strange sometimes. I mean, your mom is cool and all.. and perhaps you do..." Sarah continued to speak even though Dee gave her a look that could kill a faint-hearted soul, "have a relationship with Chloe that is more akin to ..." 

"Puh-leese, Sare," Dee interrupted impatiently. "Where the hell are you getting all these words from anyway? Like, really. Would anyone *other* than you actually find a way to use 'akin' in a sentence?" She snorted as she suddenly switched tracks. "Besides that, even if that *is* true, and it isn't, the weekend before the AP exams is just not the time to decide to change me!" 

Sarah nodded sagely. So very much was riding on these exams... not merely the college credit that the Advanced Placement program promised, but choice of university as well. Dee's mother, of all people, should understand this. "No. I don't think your mother realises just how important these tests are..." 

A soft knock on the door interrupted Sarah's words. 

"Sarah?" she heard her father call through the door in a gentle whisper. Immediately, she smiled as she opened the door. 

Robert Williams was a gentleman, in the truest sense of the word. He loved his family with all his heart and it showed completely. And no matter the disappointments and hurts she had faced in the past, Mr Williams had always been there with his arms wide open to her and would undoubtedly be her strength in the future, too. 

"Leaving already, Dad?" Sarah asked regretfully, her eyes seeming to burn his beloved features into her memory. 

"Yeah, angel. You sure you will be okay?" he asked, frowning as he examined her face carefully for any signs of tears or sorrow. 

Sarah nodded slowly, a sad smile coming to her lips. "I'll be good. Thanks, though. You take care and take care of my Grandma for me, okay?" 

Nodding slowly, he embraced his daughter tightly. "You can count on it. Love you, angel. You know the number, right?" he asked quietly as he suddenly looked towards Dee with a small amount of distrust. 

"Dad, of _course_! Now, you better hurry or else you guys will miss the flight. I'll be okay. I promise!" she smiled as she kissed him on the cheek. 

Mr Williams nodded slowly as he pushed her away for a last look. A small smile crept up on his face. "Sure you can't come with us?" 

Sarah smiled weakly. "I really wish I could. But my future college career sorta counts on this, Dad..." 

He winked understandingly as he patted her shoulder. "In that case, Happy Studying, you two. And no parties..." 

Dee coughed suddenly in an obvious (to Sarah, anyway) attempt to seem suspicious. 

Sarah shot her an icy glare and turned back to her father. "Yes, sir. See you Monday, then?" 

"Monday it is. Be safe!" And with that, he was gone. 

She stood at her door a few moments longer, leaning against the cool wooden frame as she watched the last-minute bustling of her family as they prepared for their journey. She smiled as her eyes set upon Karyn holding a very sleepy Toby. Had she ever known how much she would love those two... she thought as watched them quietly. Certainly, she still argued with her stepmother quite often, but there was a mutual respect and affection behind the words now that was missing before. Sarah would now and always love her mother, but the actress Linda Williams would probably forever be someone she would always be forced to hold at a distance. She smiled ironically. Her real mother was more like a shooting star: beautiful to behold...something you could never forget seeing, even if you tried, but fleeting and unpredictable. Karyn, on the other hand, was like the sun itself... Steady and certain, but with a passionate fire that would threaten to smother from time to time. And as strangely, and as treasonous as it would sound, Sarah was slowly coming to prefer the staid beauty of the sun over the callous magnificence of the shooting star. 

Sarah smiled, waving dumbly as her family stepped from the house and embarked on their journey. Suddenly, she closed her eyes helplessly as she heard Chloe begin to wail. This is suuuuch a bad idea, she thought as she went to retrieve Toby's old crib. Definitely bad. 

  
  
  


   [1]: mailto:ladycelyia@hotmail.com



	2. New Friends, Old Mistakes

  
_Title: _Square One   
_Rating: _PG   
_Content: _ Romance. I admit it :-)   
_Disclaimer: _Labyrinth is property of its assorted copyright holders.   
_Note: _Grammar is not my forte. Please overlook my lack of it. Oh, and this is a companion piece to _The Morning After_   
_Feedback: _[Please. :-)][1] Whether you hate it or love it, please just let me know if you've read it :-)   
  
  
  


**Chapter Two**   
  


  
  
"...and those would be the common themes in Shakespearan lit!" Dee announced proudly, a bright gleam in her eye as she looked to her study partner. 

Sarah smiled wryly as she looked at the pretty face of her friend. It was simply amazing that anyone could so dully recite "The Facts", as Dee usually put it. Sure, the girl had it right... technically... but how could she just treat the great Bard as if he were just some boring... 

"Damn, this stuff is sooo boring, Sare. How the hell do you manage to stay as glued to it as you do?" Dee whined, a petulant look coming over her latina features. 

With a small shake of the head, Sarah studied her friend carefully. In all honesty, although she cared about Dee very much, the girl was getting to her lately. Oh, certainly, there was no one better to take to a party...if they could find someone to watch sweet Chloe for the time...but when it came to being serious and looking to the future, all Dee could do was worry about relationships. After 2 years of knowing her, Sarah was still left to wonder if Dee realised anything of the world existed beyond the need to find love. And it wasn't as if the 16 year old was a stupid girl, Sarah thought as she examined the generous but pretty features of her friend's face, quite the opposite. Even with having a child, the girl was a senior in high school *and* in Advanced Placement courses. But Dee, as undeniably brilliant as she could be, was one of the most incredibly immature people Sarah had ever met. 

Sarah wrinkled her nose in distaste as she looked over the books. "It grows on you. If you let it. I honestly can't see how you could not love the junk. Shakespeare didn't write about just events in some boring old timeline, Dee, he wrote about people... about magic. About love..." 

"Figures it always comes down to magic with you," Dee grinned evilly as she rested her back against the bed's carved headboard. "So any more interesting..." this said with a licentious waggle of the eyebrows... "dreams of your loverboy prince...? 

"King, Dee! King!" Sarah corrected absently, a bright blush creeping to what seemed the very roots of her hair. She writhed in discomfort as she folded her legs on the bed, Dee taking full pleasure in the tease. 

"Whatever. Same thing." 

Sarah shot her another icy glare, but the look left Dee utterly unphased. Damn vodka, she grumbled to herself as the false innocence on Dee's face began to get on her nerves. Two years before, shortly after her wonderful Labyrinth adventure, she had met Dee in one of her classes. The girls took to each other right away, both of them seeming to be dissolving a sense of extreme loneliness on the other's behalf. 

At that time, Sarah would have been willing to do anything to enjoy a friendship as the ones she created in the Labyrinth. She missed them so very much and it had hurt to live her life without it. And then, Dee came along. She was funny, outgoing, and had one of those personalities that drew people to her like an intense magnet. 

One night, early in their friendship, Dee had decided she wanted to get drunk. Stupid kids, Sarah sighed to herself as she remembered the 15 year old girl she once was. And they managed to get totally and completely smashed. Caught up in the spirit of intoxicated comraderie, Sarah had spilled her dreams to Dee. Every moment of the maze, every gesture of the Goblin King poured out of her heart in a desperate rush. And to Sarah's deep consernation, not only did Dee seem to recall every bloody word (and for that alone, Sarah would never really drink alcohol again), but she had the insane opinion that Sarah had a crush on the man. Which, of course, while still being totally incorrect, Dee found absolutely hilarious. A crush on a dream lover... did anything beat that? Dee hadn't thought so and used every excuse to tease her friend about it. 

Crush? Bah! I don't even like him, much less _like_ him, Sarah told herself firmly as she readjusted the book in her hands. The girl is just nuts or something. If Dee had only met the man, she'd understand. 

"Yeah, anyway... " Dee started, her soft soprano husky as she picked at the split ends in her hair. Uh-oh, Sarah thought as she watched Dee's feigned nonchalance. Here it comes... "Did I tell you what happened with Marcus?" 

Frowning, Sarah shook her head slowly, both girls realising perfectly well that no more studying would occur this night. "He didn't handle Chloe so well?" 

With a heavy sigh, Dee shook her head. "No. He said..." Dee chuckled roughly to herself as she drew her knees to her chest in a strangely protective, child-like manner, "he said that he just couldn't get involved with someone who had a kid. Can you imagine?" 

Sarah leaned her head on Dee's thin shoulder in an unspoken testimonial to her support. "Better to have him tell you now..." 

Dee suddenly darted up, nearly causing Sarah to fall over. "Don't you understand, Sarah? He's my *soul-mate*. This is the guy I'm supposed to spend the rest of my life with..." She wiped at her eyes nearly angrily as she stared at the crib. "This is him. I swear to god, this is really it. So why doesn't he love me back?" 

Having had regained her balance, Sarah propped her chin up on her hands as she watched Dee pace around the room. A part of her seriously doubted the girl knew what love was, much less had found her soulmate at 16. But something about Dee's words seemed so sincere... 

"Dee, girl," Sarah forced her voice into the chaotic silence before Dee could continue, her words jarring the latina's thoughts. "It's better for him to know this now, before you get involved, than..." 

"I'm already involved, Sare," Dee sighed, falling back to the bed with a groan. Sarah winced as the tell-tale shininess of tears brightened Dee's eyes. 

Sarah shrugged. "Then don't be. It's all up to you. Just ignore the guy. You don't need him..." 

Sniffling helplessly, Dee leaned her head against the wall, a mass of short, black curls tumbling over her ears as she pushed the long straggles of bleached, orange strands from her pretty face. "You think, Sare? I don't think I can really do it." 

"I know it's what you have to do. Use your sense, Dee!" Sarah smiled encouragingly, watching as the girl slowly accepted her words. 

"But..." 

"Uh uh. Make up your mind on what course you want to take and take it, Dee. You know you need to forget Marcus, right?" Sarah waited for the girl to nod, ignoring the fact that when it came it was reluctant and uncertain. "So forget him." 

Sighing dramatically, Dee looked towards the crib. With a sharp exhale, she dabbed at her eyes half-heartedly. "I guess you are right..." 

Sarah suddenly grumbled as she heard the distinctive ringing of the phone echo through the empty house. "Hold that thought, Dee. Be right back." And with that, she left Dee and her daughter alone to contemplate the future. 

  
  
  
  
She ran downstairs, her long, slender legs taking two to three steps at a time. With a slight pout, Sarah glanced back up the staircase to the room where her friend was waiting. 

"555-8251," Sarah answered into the onyx phone as she lifted it from its cradle. 

"Sarah! Oh, good. You are still there..." Karyn's voice resounded from the receiver, static infusing her words with a surreal quality. "We landed safely in Hartford and your father is renting a car for us right now..." 

"A car instead of just taking a taxi? Oooo... the decadence!" she teased her stepmother playfully, a small smile coming to her face. 

"I know. Your father surprises even me sometimes," Karyn replied with no small amount of humour. "Listen... I was in such a rush before I left that I don't remember if I turned the iron off." 

"Oh, no problem, Karyn. I'll go turn it off now," Sarah assured her as she looked towards the laundry room. 

Karyn seemed to chuckle in amusement. "I knew I could count on you, Sarah. Would you mind checking a couple other things while you do that? I wasn't exactly thinking when I left the house earlier..." 

With a short sound of impatience, Sarah nodded. A moment later, she realised Karyn couldn't see her. "Oh, yeah. Sure. What do you need?" 

  
  
  


   [1]: mailto:ladycelyia@hotmail.com



	3. Deja Vu

  
_Title: _Square One   
_Rating: _PG   
_Content: _ Romance. I admit it :-)   
_Disclaimer: _Labyrinth is property of its assorted copyright holders.   
_Note: _Grammar is not my forte. Please overlook my lack of it. Oh, and this is a companion piece to _The Morning After_   
_Feedback: _[Please. :-)][1] Whether you hate it or love it, please just let me know if you've read it :-)   
  
  
  


**Chapter Three**   
  


  
  
Dee grumbled impatiently as she waited for Sarah to return from answering the phone. With a snort, she whirled away from the door and began looking closely examining the objects on display in her friend's room. 

It wasn't the typical room of a seventeen year old, that was for certain. Decorated in soft beiges and mauve, it remained uncluttered, with curiously few dolls or stuffed animals to keep her company. With a small grunt, Dee realised that she wasn't in the room of an older girl, but staying in the sanctuary of a young woman. 

Several pictures decorated the vanity. Dee stooped down in order to better examine the images. There was one of Sarah's real mother, Linda, cuddling quite indecently with her latest beau... Kevin? Keith? Ken? Some Barbie doll kind of name anyway, Dee thought as she looked at the picture. Autographed, of course. She shook her head slowly as she wondered what kind of mother, no matter how famous she may be, would send her daughter autographed pictures. No, autographs were something you gave a stranger so they could show all their acquaintances they've met the star; they weren't meant to be a replacement idol in a mother-daughter relationship. And that's exactly how Ms. I'm-A- Famous-Star-So-I'm-Too-Busy-To-Even-Call-On-My-Only-Kid's- Birthday seemed to treat it. 

"She was so devastated... Lady, you have any clue how much you hurt her?" Dee shook her head as she mumbled to the photograph. "Do you ever see anything past your own world?" 

Frowning as she realised that she just wished Sarah would shine the woman off forever and knowing it would never happen, Dee turned to the next picture. Oh, this was just your typical family picture that was taken in some studio or another. With a cocked eyebrow, she noticed how the younger Sarah stood far away from her stepmother and infant brother. Dee had been told numerous times that there had been once more than a bit of hostility between them in the past, but she couldn't really believe it. No, not with the way they acted now. 

The last picture was the most endearing, Dee thought with a grin. Sarah, standing outside of the unique Epcot Center in Disneyworld. Toby was perched on her shoulders, his small hands seeming to wave around a mouse-eared cap excitedly. The smiles on both their faces were bright and filled with almost a priceless joy. The two were close, Dee thought. With any luck, her and Chloe would enjoy a similar relationship. 

With a smile as her thoughts turned to her own child, she tiptoed over to the crib and looked down upon her very own Sleeping Beauty. She pulled the blanket up and tucked the child in firmly, giving her an affectionate pat on the tiny tummy as she walked away. 

A small, white covered item on Sarah's desk nearly immediately caught her attention. With a wary glance towards the door, she worried her lips as she considered checking the rather suspicious object out. 

"Sarah won't mind," Dee lied somewhat convincingly to herself as she quickly uncovered the object. The book was small and thin, but bound in worn red leather. Her black eyebrows knitted together as she traced a careless finger over the gold embossing. 

"_Labyrinth_?", Dee asked herself as she plopped down on Sarah's bed with a comfortable familiarity. With a big grin, she opened the book and began to scan over the words. 

"Maze? Dwarves? The *Goblin* King?" the girl laughed hysterically, wiping tears of mirth from her eyes. "Sarah is lusting over a character in a damn story? Like if that doesn't beat all..." 

Shaking her head slowly, she quickly rifled through the pages. A dog-eared page caught her attention and she flipped to it. 

In a surprisingly theatric voice, she lifted the book high up as she began posing as if she was facing a camera. "Goblin King! Goblin King! Wherever you may be! Take this child of mine far away from me!" She flung a hand to her forehead as she threw herself back on the bed. 

"Rubbish! Just pure rubbish!" Dee grinned as she closed the book. "How can Sarah really like that crap?" She cackled evilly as she began thinking of ways to terrorize poor Sarah with this information. Sure, the girl *acted* as though she didn't care one whit, but she certainly did squirm in the the most amusing manner. 

Startled out of her slumber by her mother's racket, Chloe began to snortle and sniffle as her lungs slowly expanded in preparation for a protesting wail. 

"Shit!" Dee muttered as she rolled over on the bed and faced the crib. "Come on, Chloe... just go back to bed, okay?" Dee grumbled, cursing herself for being so loud. "Come on, baby. Nighty-night time..." 

Chloe, oblivious to her mother's pleading words, opened her mouth and screamed quite energetically. It was truly amazing just what din a little body could make, but Dee was left with only frustration. 

Her head hit the quilted bedspread as she groaned. "Chloe, please..." Dee sighed as her daughter continued crying. "You know, Sarah may just have something with that book. Times like these, Chloe, I really wish the goblins *would* take you away."   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Sarah frowned as she gently replaced the phone's handset home. Something was wrong, she was sure of it. She scratched her forehead in thought, almost as if the movement would cause her brain to function more thoroughly and release the answer to her consciousness. There was something there, certainly. The question now was how would she figure this riddle out. 

She shrugged her thin shoulders as she walked to the front door, making sure it was locked. Done, she thought as she crossed to the inside garage door. No problem there. Her legs stretching with her every stride, she raced across the house as she double-checked the security of every window and door. All locked. 

Frowning, she stepped into the kitchen and went to grab a couple bottles of water from the fridge. 

"Dammit," Sarah mumbled as she looked around. "I'm just getting all paranoid again." 

Sarah had not even finished uttering her words when she heard a piercing scream from what appeared to be the upstairs reverberate off the walls. Shaking her head viciously, she grabbed a small steak knife from a drawer and ran as fast as she could up the wooden steps. 

Knife in hand and poised to do damage, she darted into her room.   
  
  
  


"Go on, Dolores... forget about her. You aren't ready to be a mother yet," a hauntingly familiar voice mumured quietly, his voice filled with a lilting persuasion that nearly floated upon the air. 

Sarah stood dumbly at the door as she watched her dream ...nightmare from two years before stand confidentally before her window, looking down at her small, nearly hysterical friend. The steak knife fell to the floor, forgotten. 

"No. I want my baby back," Dee managed to spit out past the tears. "Give me my baby back. I didn't mean it. I didn't think it would really work!" 

The man smiled with affection at the girl as he took a step forward and caressed her cheek with a teasing finger. Long wisps of silvery blond hair framed his attractive face as the moonlight seemed to make his small smile glow beatifically. 

"It doesn't matter whether or not you thought it would work, Dolores. The point is that you still gave Chloe to me and I've decided to accept your gift," the Goblin King took a step back as he suddenly conjured an iridescent crystal in his hand. 

Sarah took a step forward, blinking as she looked from one to the other. the strong horror pervading almost making it hard for her to walk forward. This can't be happening, she thought in almost a panic as her eyes focused on the Goblin King. We've already been through this. This can't be happening. 

"You see this , Dolores?" his fingers dexterously manipulated the ball around his hand, his lips still curved into a pleasant smile. 

"I want my baby..." 

Jareth shrugged her words off as he continued playing with the crystal, nearly mesmerizing Sarah along with Dee. "These are your dreams. Your wishes. Your past. I'm giving you the greatest gift of them all, Dolores. I'm taking away all your mistakes and giving you the chance to live your life the way you should have.... as just a normal teenage girl." 

Dee's eyes widened as she followed the crystal's movement, her lips curving in to a wistful half-smile. 

"Such a pity. Such a pity. You should have the chance to live a normal life, Dolores. One without the 2am feedings, or the diaper changes... one where you get to be the child you really are. Find love. Maybe..." an eyebrow arched as he emphasised the next words, "maybe even work things out with Marcus. You would like that, wouldn't you?" 

Sarah shook her head as she took a step forward, realising that Dee wasn't protesting any more. Shaking the girl roughly on her shoulder, Sarah called to her loudly. 

Resisting the urge to burst into tears as both Jareth and Dee ignored her, she watched as Jareth extended the crystal to the overwhelmed girl. 

"Take your dreams, Dolores... Take them and all of this will be over. Everything will be back to where it should be..." Jareth promised, whispering into Dee's ear with the fatally seductive quality of the serpent in Eden.

Dee closed her eyes for a moment and shook her head. "I want my baby back." 

With a bright grin, Sarah released the breath she didn't know she was holding. She took a step right in front of Jareth, smirking triumphantly in his face as she tried to ignore the fact that the tall, slender man still towered over her. 

"You heard her, buddy. We want to do the Labyrinth," Sarah gloated as she crossed her arms over her chest. 

Jareth seemed to stare straight through her, as if she wasn't even there. Creepy, Sarah couldn't help but think as she looked back towards Dee. Definitely creepy. 

"You disappoint me, Dolores. But very well..." Jareth suddenly twirled his hand in an exaggerated movement and a glowing beam of light surrounded both him and Dee. 

"Damn!" Sarah cursed as she noticed Dee begin to blink out of existence. Without a thought, she clutched onto Dee's shirt-sleeve and clung on for dear life. Come on, God, she prayed suddenly. Let me help her. Please. She doesn't know how to do this. Please. Sarah smiled faintly as she felt the light begin to envelope her as well.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Sarah looked around her in wonder as the bright orange sunrise slowly faded into a blue oblivion as the Goblin King spoke. I really should listen more, Sarah told herself firmly as she enjoyed the strange splendour of the Underground. She turned to look at Jareth and couldn't help but smile at the vision. He leaned against a scrawny tree, his arms folded across his chest as he continued to speak with Dee about the quest ahead. 

Thirteen hours...reach the castle...retrieve Chloe, Sarah mumbled to herself as her attention seemed to be focused more on the Goblin King than on the journey ahead. He really was quite amazing looking, Sarah thought, reluctantly capitulating to the unwelcome results of her silent examination. His distinct features, individually, would have lessened any other man's looks, but on him, the combination was truly breathtaking. Was it the angular face with the prominent cheekbones that so commanded her admiration? Or perhaps it was the presence of those startling, but mismatched eyes peeking out from beneath the raggedy veil of blond hair: one a deep, liquid blue and the other a warm hazel. Whatever it was, Sarah passionately resented the fact that there was anything to admire about this man. So it didn't help when the fading hues of the sunrise sparkled in his hair, turning the unruly strands framing his face into a virtual prism of colours that seemed to dance in the slight breeze. And it certainly didn't help her humour when his well-formed lips suddenly curved into a small, irresistable smile as he looked upon Dee. 

Sarah grumbled as she pushed away more than a little annoyance at his expression. Come on, she silently urged them both, enough is enough. Let's just get the show on the road. 

"Hey, Frank N. Furter, will you just stop being so hammy and let us just do this, okay?" Sarah muttered as she took a step closer to Dee. With a gentle nudge to the distraught girl's shoulder, Sarah inclined her head to the maze. "Only thirteen hours, Dee. We better get started." 

"Turn back, Dolores," Jareth called out to the girl quietly, his voice filled with almost a gentle mocking. "You can still go home and forget this all as just a bad dream." 

Annoyed beyond all end as she realised that his words now were vaguely similar to those he used om her two years earlier, Sarah began to pull Dee towards the Labyrinth's entrance. How often does the jerk do this? she wondered as the anger surging through her body searched frantically for an outlet. Often enough, Sarah realised as she looked at him in disgust, that he basically has the damn script memorized. 

"Okay, back to square one," she whispered as she looked out over the massive Labyrinth. She drew a deep breath and turned to her friend. "Don't worry, we'll get Chloe back... but we gotta move," she inclined her head towards Jareth, who just seemed to notice Sarah's presence for the first time. He narrowed his strangely alluring mismatched eyes at her as she began to drag his victim away. "Liberace over there is a cheat so we'll need all the time we can get." 

Jareth's indifferent facade seemed to fall for a split second as he overheard Sarah's words. His lips curled into a sneer as he took extra care in smoothing his white fur cloak which encompassed his wiry body. "And who would you be?" 

Sarah managed, barely, to keep from jumping as Jareth appeared directly in front of her. 

"What? Sarah? Sarah Williams? Come on, buddy, I was only in here two years ago," she smirked as she stepped around the man. "Don't tell me that your little human guinea pigs triumph your Labyrinth so frequently that you can't even remember those who have defeated you?" 

His attractive face suddenly assumed the appearance of a chiseled slab of stone, the only thing even remotely animated was those unusual hazel and blue eyes. And those? well, those were narrowed with utter distaste at Sarah. 

"Milady," he grumbled sarcastically, "I only remember those worth the effort." With a smirk, he turned to the dazed Dee. "12 hours and 52 minutes remain, Dolores. I advise you use your time wisely." 

With a stiffled scream of outrage as his unexpected barb finally penetrated ber thoughts, Sarah stuck her tongue out at the Goblin King, who, unfortuantely, had disappeared before he could notice the childish slight. 

"I just HATE him," Sarah grumbled as she stared unseeingly at the place he stood just moments before. 

Dee just shook her head as the tears began to flow freely down her face. "My baby. He took my baby..." 

Sarah winced as she looked at Dee's heartbroken face, the carefully applied makeup now smudged and streaked with her tears. "It's okay, Dee. We will get Chloe back. You'll see..." 

  
  
  


   [1]: mailto:ladycelyia@hotmail.com



	4. When Faeries Attack

Square One   
  
  
_Title: _Square One   
_Rating: _PG   
_Content: _ Romance. I admit it :-)   
_Disclaimer: _Labyrinth is property of its assorted copyright holders.   
_Note: _Grammar is not my forte. Please overlook my lack of it. Oh, and this is a companion piece to _The Morning After_   
_Feedback: _[Please. :-)][1] Whether you hate it or love it, please just let me know if you've read it :-)   
  
  
  


**Chapter Four**  
  
  


  
  


Jareth growled ferociously at the viewing crystal as he watched the two girls stumble down the hill at the entrance to the Labyrinth. With an elegant gesture of his hand, the crystal focused on Dolores' obnoxious friend. 

His mouth pulled into a frown as he concentrated on the undeniably lovely face. The Goblin King leaned back in his throne as he continued examining the pretty girl, his mind in a whirl as it tried to recall ever seeing this "Sarah" before. 

"Can't be," he grumbled as he flicked his fingers at the crystal. "If she really did defeat the Labyrinth, then she wouldn't be allowed back in." 

With a small sigh, he turned his head to the sleeping infant who lay quietly beside him. He traced a finger gently over the dimpled cheeks, smiling softly as he began to wonder whether Dolores would ever find the strength to defeat the maze. He didn't think so, but it was too soon to be sure of anything right now.   
  
  
  
  
  
Sarah sighed with frustration as Dee leaned helplessly against the gate to the Labyrinth, tears pouring down her face as she attempted to persuade Sarah that this feat was just beyond her. 

"I can't do it. I really can't," Dee insisted as she rubbed at her eyes with the back of her hand. 

Sarah just shook her head and gave Dee a frosty look. "You can and you will. Come on. Anyway, we don't want to idle around here... fairies and such," she replied, her shoulders convulsing in a pronounced shudder. 

Dee seemed to look up at her words. "Fairies? Really?" 

Sarah smiled as she patted Dee on the shoulder. "All around. Don't get excited though. I mean, they are beautiful and all, but nasty little critters." 

"Sarah! Come on! Like, really?" Dee's wide brown eyes seemed to shine with more than just tears as she considered the thought. 

Nodding slowly, Sarah smiled at her friend's whimsical expression. Funny, she thought to herself as she batted away something that flew by her ear, I never thought Dee had a creative bone in her body. 

Dee's tanned brow suddenly wrinkled in thought. "Say, Sarah... do you hear something?" 

Pushing out her chin as she bit her lower lip, Sarah listened carefully. It took her a moment, but soon she started hearing a soft chorus of "Sarah! Sarah!" chanting by her ear over and over. 

She blinked as she looked towards Dee. "Yeah. That's weird. What's it saying?" 

"I think someone is calling you?" 

Sarah closed her eyes tightly as she concentrated on the soft voice. 

_ Are you Sarah? _ a tiny, but infinitely sweet voice seemed to echo just beyond her ear. 

"Yeah, I'm...OUCH!" she screamed as she suddenly slapped at her ear. 

"What's wrong?" Dee asked, her eyes widening as she looked to Sarah with concern. 

"Something's biting me. Run! Fairies!" Sarah screamed as she pulled Dee into the Labyrinth, her stray hand waving wildly about her face as she tried to keep from being bitten. 

The huge oaken doors shut with a pompous swing, and both girls leaned against the opposing wall. 

"What in hell was that about?" Dee asked, her lips twisted into a grimace. 

"I'm... I'm not sure. But damn, that really hurt!" Sarah winced as she gingerly touched her injured ear. 

"You are telling me that fairies just attacked you or something?" the short woman asked, a definite light sparkling in her eyes as she barely refrained from laughing. 

Sarah glared at her. 

"Come on, Sare. I mean, really. I didn't even see any out there!" 

"They're small, okay?" Sarah grumbled as she prodded her poor ear. Suddenly, she crossed her eyes as she noticed a small figure hovering at the tip of her nose. "Dee...!" she whispered frantically as she pointed to the minute fairy. 

Dee's jaw dropped gracelessly as she noticed the creature. 

"I don't think I've ever seen anything so beautiful in my life..." Dee breathed softly, her eyes focused on the figure. The fairy seemed to primp vainly at Dee's words. 

Mumbling disgruntledly, Sarah replied, "You won't think so when the damn thing bites you... OUCH! Will you STOP that?" 

The fairy seemed to flutter smugly before Sarah's face, giving her a look of haughty arrogance. With a flicker of pale, iridescent wings, she turned away from Sarah and flew to Dee's ear. 

Sarah rubbed her nose ruefully as she waited for the creature to bite Dee as well. Moaning tragically as her sensitive fingers found a small, sore bump on the tip of her nose, she glared evilly at the fairy. 

_You are Dolores, eh?_ the fairy inquired as she perched weightlessly upon Dee's shoulder, her small wings continuing to flutter gracefully in what would appear to be nervous habit. 

"You aren't going to bite me if I answer, are you?" Dee asked as she looked at the prominent mark on Sarah's nose. 

The fairy tittered, her slight voice seeming to echo in the breeze. 

_Gracious, no! I just owe..._ the fairy inclined her head towards Sarah with an angry look _that one some trouble for all that she's caused me._

"What do you mean by that?" Sarah grumbled, holding her nose protectively. "I've never met you before today!" 

With the roll of startling crimson eyes, the fairy turned the full weight (which isn't much, unfortunately) of her gaze onto Sarah. 

_You are all my love talks about. He doesn't even see me because he's too damn busy talking about you!_

Groaning loudly, Sarah frowned at the fairy. "Who on earth are you talking about?" 

_Hoggle, of course._ the fairy spit out, anger tensing her beautiful, ageless face. 

"Hoggle? You've seen him?" she gifted the fairy with a brilliant smile. 

Enraged by Sarah's words, the fairy suddenly took off, obviously intent on wreaking more havoc with Sarah's pretty features. 

"Hey, now..." Dee smiled patiently as she caught the fairy by the hem of her long, white dress. "You were looking for me, though?" 

The fairy glared evilly at Sarah, her look promising retribution. 

_Oh, yes. That's right._

Dee wrinkled her nose as she looked at the fairy. "What's your name, anyway?" 

_Dlaeri,_ the fairy responded as she curtsied daintly, her wings folding behind her as she stood in Dee's small hand. 

"Larry?" Sarah grumbled, her brow wrinkled with annoyance as she considered the creature. "I thought faeries were supposed to..." 

Dee cut Sarah off with a stern look. Don't provoke her, she mouthed with more than a bit of impatience. 

_You humans. Bah. I'll have you know Dlaeri is a very fairy name, thank you much. I can't help it if you can't pronounce it right._ Dlaeri snapped as she stuck out a lower lip in an exaggerated pout. 

"Oh, it's a beautiful name! It just sounds like an earth name, 'Larry'," Dee assured her, flashing the rampaging fairy a sincere smile. 

_Well, I guess "Larry" is close enough. That is, if your inferior little mouths can't handle the real pronounciation._

Sarah's hand shot out as she tried to grab the fairy by the scruff of her neck, but Dee quickly stepped out of reach. Plastering a fake smile on her lips, Dee nodded towards the fairy. 

"Okay, Dlaeri... what can I do for you?" she asked sweetly. 

Sarah just leaned against the wall, looking down boredly at the eye-moss. The moss returned her gaze with interest. 

_It's not what you can do for me, it's what I can do for _you_. But I'm not sure that I want to help now since I know you associate with that creature!_ the fairy shot a lethal glare to Sarah, who just kept examining the moss in a perturbed silence. 

"Please? You don't have to tell her... Just tell me," Dee asked with false humility, not really caring one way or the other if the fairy actually spoke, but feeling obligated to ask. 

Dlaeri frowned for a moment, but flew off Dee's hand only to flutter by her ear. With a venomous glance back to Sarah as if she were ensuring she wasn't listening, Dlaeri began to whisper softly into Dee's ear. Dee nodded suddenly, nearly causing the fairy to tumble into the wall with the sudden movement. 

"Oh, I'm sorry!", Dee winced as she looked at the fairy. "Really, I am." 

Dlaeri nodded regally as she fluttered, once again, close to Dee's ear. 

Sarah stood there dumbly as she waited for the fairy to finish up. Shrugging, she kneeled to the ground as she looked into the moss's eyes, nearly groaning as she noticed just how red and swollen the bite on her nose had become. With a small pat of "thank you" upon the moss's mass (Yeah, try saying _that_ three times fast!), she turned back to Dlaeri and Dee. 

"Really, thank you, Dlaeri," Dee sniffled as she smiled through another onslaught of tears. "I can't tell you how much I appreciate your help." 

Dlaeri nodded slowly as she started to flutter back towards the oaken gates. 

_Yeah, it's okay. That one is a freebie, but I'll tell you this, if you don't find better company to keep, I'm gonna have to start charging you..._ the fairy threatened as she looked down at Sarah in disgust. 

Sarah pushed out her chin proudly as she looked unflinchingly at the fairy, almost as if she were encouraging the fairy to do her worst. With a smug look, the fairy just ignored Sarah and flew from the Labyrinth. 

"So what was all that about?" Sarah sighed as she looked back to the closing gate. 

Dee just shook her head. "I can't tell you yet, Sare. She made me promise." 

Sarah's brown eyes narrowed with suspicion and more than a little hurt. "Fine, then. Let's go. We've wasted enough time here." 

Dee nodded as she finally looked around. "So this is the infamous Labyrinth, huh? Doesn't look so hard." 

"Piece of cake," Sarah blustered, her feeling still wounded. Flinging her dark mass of hair behind her shoulders, Sarah started walking to the right. 

"That way, Sarah? I don't know..." Dee called back, standing exactly in the same place her friend had left her. 

Sighing impatiently, Sarah leaned against the wall, wondering why Dee refused to listen to her. Hell, she'd *been* through this maze before and triumphed! If the girl was half as smart as she thought she was, she'd just shut up and listen. 

Dee shrugged her shoulders as she silently followed Sarah. "I don't think we should go this way." 

Sarah threw her a winning smile as she started walking again. "Just trust me. It will take a little while to get there, but *trust* me..." 

Dee just nodded silently as she followed behind, her shorter legs extending to their limit as she tried to keep up. Weariness grasped at her calves as she continued walking, her lungs threatening to explode if they didn't slow down. 

"Sare... you *sure* it's this way?" 

Frowning to herself, Sarah mumbled something in haughty affirmation. But the truth was that the sun had travelled too far into the sky and was beginning to worry her. If she didn't know better, she'd say they had been walking this path for several hours already. But no, that couldn't be. Sarah remembered *exactly* where the turn was. She tried to shrug off the feeling that they had passed that point long ago. 

"Sare..." 

Sarah paused in her steps as she turned to face Dee. 

"Uh huh?" 

"We there yet?" 

"Not yet." 

"Oh." 

Running long fingers through her soft, brown hair, Sarah looked at Dee carefully. 

"Sarah?" 

"Uh huh?" she responded, stalling as she wracked her brains for possible answers. 

"You once said that coming into here was like walking straight into chaos. Right?" 

Sarah nodded, folding her arms across her chest. 

Dee's voice faltered as she looked towards the ground. "I think we should go left. I mean, don't you think you are kinda taking it for granted that things are gonna be exactly the way you left them? I mean... Sare... two years is quite a while." 

With a martyristic sigh, Sarah gestured for Dee to lead on. "Yeah, you just may have a point. Where would you go?" 

Dee smiled as she immediately turned and started running to the left. "Come on. My baby's waiting!"   
  
  


   [1]: mailto:ladycelyia@hotmail.com



	5. Never How It Seems

Square One   
  
  
_Title: _Square One   
_Rating: _PG   
_Content: _ Romance. I admit it :-)   
_Disclaimer: _Labyrinth is property of its assorted copyright holders.   
_Note: _Grammar is not my forte. Please overlook my lack of it. Oh, and this is a companion piece to _The Morning After_   
_Warning: _This Chapter contains a lot of profanity. My apologies to anyone this offends, but I thought it was necessary for the story.   
_Feedback: _[Please. :-)][1] Whether you hate it or love it, please just let me know if you've read it :-)   
  
  
  


**Chapter Five**  
  
  


  
  


Sarah slapped her forehead in embarrassment as she continued trotting down the stone walkway, following Dee sheepishly. 

"Okay, okay. I get your point," Sarah grumbled softly as she looked towards the sky. "I can't walk into chaos and expect predictability. Lesson learned. Can we just move on now?" 

It had truly been a most rotten half-hour since she had allowed Dee to take the lead. At first, her friend had been timid and uncertain, but with each turn she found, she seemed to be gaining more and more confidence. Every judgement Sarah made turned out to be wrong, every memory she had of the layout was eventually proven incorrect. Nothing here was as she remembered and God... or the Fates... or even the bloody Goblin King seemed to be trying to rub her fairy-assaulted nose in it. 

They were definitely making good time. So good, in fact, Sarah began to wonder how long it would be before they solved the puzzle and if she would be fortunate enough to run into any of her old friends before she had to go home. Probably not. Or if I did, Sarah huffed to herself as she kicked at a small rock in the path, they wouldn't remember me either. 

"Bingo!" Dee shouted triumphantly as she pointed to the forest ahead. "Look. Didn't you say before that when we hit the forest, we'd be half way there?" 

"Yeah, if it's as if I remember..." Sarah spit out, her pretty mouth twisted cynically as she looked towards the approaching darkness. 

Completely oblivious to the biting tone, Dee continued her quick-paced steps. "I really do hope it's how you remember it. But ya haven't exactly been batting .1000 today, have you?" A disconcerting thought suddenly hit the young mother, causing her to stop dead in her tracks. 

"Sarah," she started uneasily, her eyes hooded with concern, "You read that book a lot when you were a kid, huh? All the time?" 

"Come on, Dee. Remember? Only thirteen hours?" Sarah rejoined impatiently as she sidled past and kept walking. 

"No, no. Wait. I'm serious!" Dee protested, shoving the orange straggles of hair from her eyes as she jogged to keep up. "Just like hold up!" Whimpering helplessly as Sarah ignored her, Dee collapsed heavily against the scratchy bark of a nearby tree and waited for her friend to realise she was no longer following. 

"Crying isn't going to get you Chloe back," Sarah scolded coldly as she turned back to face the weeping girl. 

Dee shook her head slowly as she looked towards the older girl, who stood no more than ten feet in front of her but seemed so far away. Slim arms were folded defiantly across her chest as Sarah waited in the middle of the path, far from the shelter of the walls and trees. Never had Dee seen anyone who looked so angry or so heartbreakingly alone. 

"What the hell has gotten into you, Sare? Why are you so pissed off?" Dee asked, a small tremor choking her voice as the tears flew freely down her smudged face. 

The girl exhaled sharply, her eyes rolling to the heavens as she no longer bothered to hide her impatience. "I'm *trying* to help you get your daughter back. But I can't help you if you insist on taking a damn crying break every 15 minutes." 

"That's not fair. That's just not cool," Dee grumbled angrily as she wiped her tears away with the back of her hand. "I'm doing my best." 

"Well, you know what? That's just not good enough." 

She slammed her scratched hands against the cool bark of the tree, seeming to draw strength from the pain that her breaking nails inflicted. With an ironic grunt she looked down at her ruined manicure and shrugged her shoulders. It didn't seem to matter so much anymore. Dee closed her eyes for a moment, steeling herself before she turned her gaze to Sarah. 

"I messed up, Sarah. Fucked up big time," Dee chuckled harshly as she pushed herself away from the tree. "Chloe is *my* daughter. And I was the one who banished her here. God, in a place I had no freaking clue really existed just..." she looked down to her wrist and smiled ironically as she noticed her watch wasn't working. Figures. "... well, yesterday. And yet? that's not a really great fucking excuse." 

"Cursing like that isn't getting us closer to that castle." 

Dee groaned in angry exasperation as she started stalking towards the castle. "Fuck fuck fuck fuck! See. I'm closer, okay? Get off my back!" 

"I will the moment you stop acting like a two year old," Sarah rejoined nastily as she started to follow Dee's angry steps. 

"What the hell gives you the right to act like this, Sarah? This is none of your fucking business anyway," she nearly screamed as she whirled around. 

"It has to be someone's business. You have been too busy crying to get anything done on your own!" Sarah shouted back, her fists clenched tightly to her side as she barely restrained herself from stamping her foot. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. With her exhale, she began to speak again, her voice soft but firm. "I'm your friend, Dolores. I've been through this before. I just want to help." 

"Help me? You aren't helping at all!" Dee snapped, her face bright red as she continued marching on. "Fuck that! I think *you* are the one who needs help. Shit! You've read that fucking book so fucking much that you actually think you've fucking been here!" 

Sarah's breathing accelerated as she stopped dead in her tracks. How dare she... 

"Get a fucking clue, Sarah. You've not only been wrong about every fucking thing, but that bastard didn't even remember you either. So tell me. If you had really been here, would that really have happened?" Dee smirked cruelly as she pushed her way through the outskirts of the forest. 

Sarah stood there, her face like pale stone as she watched the retreating back of her friend. Dee's normally soft voice had echoed those unspeakable thoughts that had been playing havoc with her head since they arrived here. Now her heart hurt so much that it felt as though it would implode, leaving her with nothing but ashes in its stead. Crazy. This really is crazy, she admitted to herself as she quietly looked around her. I'm crazy. Am I crazy? Sarah sniffled as she looked to the sky. Her eyes felt dry and itchy, but the tears wouldn't come to relieve the discomfort. 

"Come on, feet," she whispered as she urged herself on as a disconnected part of her realised she could no longer see Dee. There's work to do.   
  
  
  
  
  
Jareth grinned ferally as he watched the girls through the viewing crystal. In the matter of three hours, there had been a marked change in both of the girls. Dolores was beginning to follow her own instincts and this Sarah was learning to stop believing she knew the answer to everything. 

He suddenly laughed as Sarah pushed out her chin determinedly as she gazed over the forest. "Such attitude!" he murmured as he traced a gloved finger over the crystal's surprisingly warm mass. "Your ego is bruised, you are now doubting your very sanity, and yet, you refuse to give up. I'm not sure why you are here, my dear. But this is the most amusement I've had in years. Oh, Sarah, if only I had a little more time to play with you..." 

Still chuckling, Jareth dismissed the crystal with a flick of his wrist, watching as it just seemed to meld with the air. He glanced down at the sweet child sleeping in a small, wicker basket next to him only to notice the spotless white lace of his ruffled silk shirt. He frowned. 

"Liberace. Bah. He doesn't have this much *style*," Jareth complained indignantly as he pushed himself up off his throne, his eyebrows knitted together disgruntedly. 

"Narble!" Jareth sneered as he pointed to a nearby goblin. "Take care of this child until I return..." 

"Uh. okay, majesty..." Narble responded, exchanging a knowing look with his fellow goblins. They managed a unison groan as their King strode from his throne room, his hands already unfastening his cloak with remarkable haste. 

"But he just put those clothes *on*!" one of the more junior goblins whined as they all realised *someone* would be forced to clean those articles and it wouldn't be Jareth. 

Narble, his position raised by the King's charge, rolled his eyes at the goblin's protest. "You don't be dumb, Gleb. It's a King thing. Don't you know nuthin'?" 

"Whatcha mean, Narble?" 

"It's ..." the goblin paused for a moment as his mind rapidly (well, as rapidly as a goblin mind can work) searched for an appropriate title, "...Baby-Taker-Carer-Ofer Narble to *you*!" 

The junior goblin nodded solemnly. "Okay, Narble..." 

Slapping his forehead, he muttered "What does I do to get such dummy sub... sub...submarines!" Narble complained, his scratchy voice a little more whiney than usual as his head was a bit sore from the impromptu smack. 

"Uh... I don't know," another goblin answered, frowning as he considered the question. "What does you do?" 

"Don't be stupids, dummy. Just stand there and look pretty, okay? Me got a big job to do," Narble's scrawny chest puffed out with buoyant self-importance. 

Gleb nodded as he peeked into the basket. "What is it?" 

Narble rolled his eyes impatiently. "You do know nuthin'? It's a baby! That's why me the Baby-Carer-Ofer-Taker!" 

Several other goblins followed Gleb's lead and peeked into the basket. 

"Ew!" 

"It stinky!" 

"And me thought me Ma was ugly." 

"EW!" 

Narble listened quietly, nodding in sage agreement with each judgement. "Babies are mean, mean ugly things. That why so important job, you know." 

The other goblins, entranced by the Baby-Taker-Carer-Ofer's wise words, began to gather around him in an awed silence. 

Narble grinned, his pointy, yellowed teeth reflecting in the light. "C'mon! You sit and shut up, and me tell you about these ugly baby thingees...." Narble promised, his voice resonating through the room with distinct pride. 

The small figures leaned forward as they listened.   
  
  


   [1]: mailto:ladycelyia@hotmail.com



	6. Impressions

  
  
  
Chapter 6   
  
  
With an exasperated sigh, Jareth swung a long leg up over the jeweled arm of his throne; his eyes flickering distatefully over his inane subjects. As far as subjects went his goblins were not as bad as they could be, he reluctantly admitted as he struck the frayed end of his riding crop on the heel of his boot. His aquiline nose wrinkled quite regally as he remembered his impressions of the Mortal World. Bah. There was no such thing as a true monarchy any more! The peasants had stormed the castles of the world and replaced the true, noble power with people like that insufferable Margaret Thatcher woman and that silly actor fellow. What was his name? Donald Reagan? Donald McRonald? Oh, the fellow who played with that filthy monkey in that one moving picture. Clint Eastwood? Oh, it truly didn't matter but he did like to keep abreast of what was happening in the "movies", as the inhabitants of that world called it.   
  
He struck the riding crop against his heel one last time before he forced himself up in a sitting position. Frowning absently as he looked at the oblivious little goblins running rampant about the room, his thoughts strayed back to that marvellous moving picture magic of the Mortal Realm. It really was the most beguiling of spells. He had spent at least two hours trying to decipher it but even he had no luck. His attempts to reproduce the effect had, and Jareth truly shuddered to even consider the thought, failed miserably. He had decided that perhaps the Mortal Realm contained a sort of magic that the Underground lacked and therefore, the moving picture story spell wouldn't work here.   
  
The Goblin King glanced disinterestedly back towards his viewing crystal and looked upon the progress of the girls in the forest. They had been slowed by some sort of disagreement and it was obvious they wouldn't gain too much ground until one or the other apologised. His thin lips suddenly tugged into a bemused smile. It was amusing to see the wind taken out of that Sarah's sails. She was walking... perhaps stalking would be a better word? behind her friend. A small part of him that he reluctantly acknowledged was maybe slightly disappointed with this lack of spirit, but then, what could you really expect from a mortal?   
  
Jareth rose to his feet, shrugging his shoulders as he decided to leave the mortal girls be for a few minutes. After all, from the looks of things, they were making their own problems. His services could be missed for a few minutes while he indulged himself with the pleasure of a moving picture spell or two.   
  
The environment shifted suddenly, responding to his unspoken command to teleport back to where he had found the girls just hours before. He closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. The strong, but not unpleasant odour of the mortals still clung closely to the air, but he didn't smell the presence of any others in the immediate vicinity. It should be well enough, he thought as he gazed around the quiet room, for him to explore this dour and horrendously decorated piece of mortality a bit.   
  
His narrow nostrils flared as he tried to temper the excitement he was unwillingly feeling at this peculiar situation. The unique chance to examine the life of a mortal (even as dowdy as it was) seemed to be a precious gift to a creature whose own immortality had often deprived him of the exhilaration of new experiences. He frowned suddenly as a peculiar emptiness made his chest feel hollow. He only had one chance to savour the newness of this opportunity. And Jareth, by god, planned to enjoy every bit of it. Even if it meant leaving his charges a little longer than he originally intended.   
  
Jareth rubbed a thumb over the smooth grain of a whitewashed desk as his mismatched eyes roamed through the subtle mauves and almond decor. The colour scheme wasn't exactly something he would have chosen (it simply lacked the bright enthusiasm of the world which had been his own for as long as he could remember) but if it was meant to be calming and pleasant, then it worked well enough. The room was quite small as compared to anything, perhaps excepting an oubliette, in the Underground, but undoubtedly more than enough to suit the needs of a mortal girl.   
  
Pulling out the wooden chair, he sat cautiously at the vanity, intent on not disturbing a thing. There was a sweet, almost beguiling charm to the setup and he really didn't want to ruin it until he discovered what he wanted to know. Unfortunately, he thought as he gazed at his reflection in the mirror, he wasn't quite sure what it was he wanted to learn from this impromptu jaunt.   
  
His eyes caught sight of several framed pictures. Jareth's pale brow knitted together as he looked through the captured images. By the looks of things, it seems he was in that Sarah's bedroom, not Dolores's as he originally assumed.   
  
Perhaps that was why the girl had found her way to the Labyrinth when the Rules stated she shouldn't be there when she had nothing at stake. It all happened here, he thought as he pushed himself up. Maybe the girl had something to lose that even the Goblin King couldn't see. The forces of life work mysteriously, Jareth told himself as he walked over to the small, canopied bed. He had given up trying to understand it years ago.   
  
The room was a bit more reserved than what he would have expected of this arrogant little girl, he thought as he sat on the bed. He smiled suddenly as he bounced against the springy cushion. With a lazy air, he reclined back, enjoying the soft support that the bed gave his spine. Sighing happily, Jareth closed his eyes for a moment, just breathing in the soft scents teasing his senses. Perhaps he was a bit hasty in condemning this place before, Jareth thought as he reluctantly opened his eyes. It bothered him a tad that the room seemed to have magically transformed from a interior decorator's revenge to a quiet, but comforting sanctuary. The girl was a bit confusing, Jareth thought as he slowly sat up. Learning to understand what was going on in that pretty little head might be an intriguing challenge, but mostly, he wanted to wipe that arrogant smirk from those full lips. To his great dismay, Jareth suddenly couldn't help but wonder what it would be like if she smiled.   
  
"It would undoubtedly be just as annoying as her frowns," he stated aloud, listening to the way his clipped tenor echoed in the silence. Grumbling at the hint of insincerity in his words, Jareth quickly rose from the bed and left the room.   
  
With a snort, he immediately moved to the stairs, his intelligent eyes darting from object to object as he searched for something more interesting than this Sarah.   
  
"For a mortal dwelling," he murmured as he began the descent down the steps, "it is quite large. There will be undoubtedly many things more interesting than a teenage brat," he assured himself. With a curt nod, he looked to the area about him.   
  
A myriad of colourful pictures lined the walls, each one possessing a certain sickly sweetness that made him want to turn away from the view, and yet, his eyes refused to obey. He walked down the stairs slowly, taking in each image as if it were a macabre vision: knowing that he shouldn't look so intently, and yet, being unable to turn away. Everything seemed to be so perfect in their small, little world, he thought in disgust. The ignorance of the world and its horrors was tangible as he watched a small girl grow to womanhood and an infant boy learn to run. The parents of the two seemed to be always standing by with a certain sad pride as they watched their children age.   
  
Mortals. In that they could be forgiven, Jareth decided generously. They had none of the lifespan of those who lived in the Underground. Perhaps it wasn't an unforgiveable sin that they seemed to be obsessed with capturing their limited moments in order to imprison them forever on these walls. It was merely an annoying one.   
  
He suddenly laughed aloud as his eyes caught view of a rather large picture hanging upon the wall at the base of the stairs. No, this wasn't the sugary-sweet images of moments ago, he thought with no small amount of pleasure. This was anything but.   
  
Jareth stood before the large portrait, somewhat aware that there had been a smaller version in Sarah's room, but he had only given it a cursory glance before.   
  
"What a pity!" he scolded himself as he looked upon the amusing scene of an absolutely outraged Sarah standing far from the comfort of her family in what appeared to be a staged picture. He had seen that stubborn tilt to her chin before and that burning fire in those dark eyes, qwelling the soft kindness that seemed to emanate from every other picture he had seen in this hall. The circumstances of the picture may have been staged, he thought as his eyes traced over the black drapery of the background and the perfect postures of the family, but that expression of Sarah's simply was not.   
  
"What a pity," Jareth repeated softly, suddenly remembering the lack of spirit the girl had shown right before he took this jaunt to the Mortal Realm. Had she shown the same fire in the Underground that she had shown in this silly image, Jareth would currently be spending his time tormenting her instead of wasting his time examing her things. Enough about her! he told himself firmly. With a shake of his head, he abandoned the hall in order to explore the rest of the house more fully.   
  
  
  
* * *   
  
  
  
Sarah sighed deeply, her hand touching her temple gingerly as she continued walking. For some reason, her mind kept flashing back to an incident that happened to her the first time she had entered the Labyrinth.   
  
She had just solved that riddle of the doors. Even now, she could remember how the confidence swelled up in her as she passed through the door leading to the castle, a part of her ecstatic she had bested Jareth so. Piece of cake. Or so she thought.   
  
The next thing she knew, she was dropping through a tunnel full of green hands reaching out at her. Grabbing at her. Like terrible vises, they clutched to her thighs and waist as they momentarily stopped her from falling. She screamed out for help, her voice hoarse from the terror of not only the drop but these grotesque hands holding on to her.   
  
"Helping Hands," she murmured to herself as she stepped over a broken branch. Or that's what they called themselves. So embarrassed of her position, she just asked that they bring her down instead of taking a moment to think about where she was. Had she stopped to consider the situation a little, common sense would have told her to ask to be taken back up to the top for that was the direction of the castle. But between her embarrassment and pride, she nearly ended up losing the bet... and her little brother in the process. She had almost let her pride cost her everything, and in all honesty, it wasn't worth it.   
  
It's a hard thing to admit, she thought as she watched the retreating figure of her best friend. It's hard to admit when you are wrong, Sarah frowned. And she had been wrong. Sarah had let her pride do the talking since they arrived in here. Her motives had only been the best: she wanted to help Chloe and Dee, but in her effort to help, she had tried to take over Dee's fight. And that's exactly what this was. Dee made the mistake and now it was up to Dee to rectify it. Sarah was the interloper here and that's what she had to remember.   
  
"Dee!" she suddenly called out as she jogged to catch up.   
  
Dee turned around, the orange wisps of hair dangling in her angry eyes as she looked at her best friend.   
  
"Dee," Sarah repeated, blushing slightly at her own impulsiveness. The petite latina didn't make it any easier with the glaring.   
  
Be realistic, Sarah told herself as she fumbled for the words. Dee's upset because you questioned her ability and her love for her own baby. That wasn't very cool. You'd be furious too. Take it easy and don't expect a miracle.   
  
"Look, I'm sorry. I'm worried and frustrated about being back in here. And I'm kind of scared. Things aren't what I remember," Sarah started, though forcing herself to meet Dee's eyes was one of the hardest things she felt she ever had to do. "I didn't mean to take over and I didn't mean to judge you. I'm sorry."   
  
Dee shook her head slowly, her fingers rubbing at her reddened eyes.   
  
"I know, Sare. I know. But you got to remember things aren't so freaking easy for me here, either."   
  
"Dee, there's no doubt of that. I just want to help..."   
  
"The best way you can help," Dee started uncertainly, something akin to shame shining in her brown eyes, "is to let me do what I have to. Look, I appreciate you being here. Honest to god, I _need_ you. I love you even more for being here. But you gotta trust me. I think you can trust me."   
  
Sarah smiled softly as she took a hesitant step towards Dee. "I know. I do. I just want to help."   
  
"You are. Don't doubt that," Dee smiled wearily as she lifted her hand towards Sarah. "C'mere. Big girly hug then we keep walking, okay? We will get through this. Together, you know?"   
  
Sarah blinked in surprise at the girl's quietly spoken words and glanced her over. Her face was marred by streaks of ruined makeup and tears, and her beautifully manicured nails were ruined. Her smile, though as pretty as ever, seemed to carry an edge of maturity in it that Sarah had never seen before. Somehow, sometime during this trek, Dee had changed a little. There was a confidence in her voice and in her eyes that Sarah had never seen before, and something told her that it was for the better.   
  
Dee cried softly as they hugged, her hands trembling as she tightly clung to her friend. "Love ya, Sare. Sorry about being such a bitch before. I really didn't mean it. Honest."   
  
"I know," Sarah smiled as she gently pulled away. "You're stressed to the max. It's cool. I totally understand."   
  
Dee stepped back as she contemplated the beautiful brunette standing before her, her lips curving in a crooked smile.   
  
"Learn something new every day!" Dee muttered as she began to walk slowly on.   
  
"Hmmm?"   
  
"I never knew my best friend was a Valley Girl. Like, totally tubular! Gag me on a spoon..."   
  
"...with..." Sarah corrected automatically, her eyes lightened with humour.   
  
Smiling archly, Dee winked at Sarah. "And you just proved my point..."   
  
  
  



	7. Mortal Treasures

  
  
**Note:** Oi. I haven't updated this story in forever. :-) Anyway, I was looking through my list of fanfics and discovered that this one was unfinished. Well, it's taken me long enough, but I've decided to rectify that little problem. So my next goal is to finish this dang story :-)   
  
By the bye, some of you have expressed concern about the pairing of this story. *grin* While I would disagree with those who say that it's obvious that the Goblin King was in love with Sarah in the movie (in fact, to that I would strongly disagree), this story aims to give Jareth and Sarah a platform in that they can fall in love. :-)   
  
-Cel.   
  
PS: I have a mailing list for anyone who may be interested in getting my ficcies delivered in their mailbox as well as news on updates and such. Check out http://groups.yahoo.com/group/celyia/ if you think you may be interested. Thanks!   
  
  


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**Chapter 7**   
  
  
The room was dark and almost overwhelming with its masculine tones of deep brown and beige. Splashes of burnt ochre, present in several corduroy pillows and in the billowing patterned curtains, accented the room, each a reminder to the monarch of why he preferred the Underground.   
  
Life in the Mortal Realm just looked so washed out and grimy.   
  
Snorting inelegantly as he swiped a gloved finger along the polished maple grain of the wooden, Jareth stalked through what appeared to be the main room of the house. Truly, it wasn't as if these people lacked the technology to use brighter dyes for the walls, he decided with a sneer as his eyes flitted over the brown-toned flowers etched upon the strangely smooth walls. So why use such an inferior dye?   
  
Curiously, he ran the pad of his thumb over the wall itself, his brow furrowing as the slightly raised petals and leaves of the flowers teased the very tip. That was strange, he decided as he pulled his hand away. It was almost as if they had trapped the essence of the ugly flora within the wall itself! In fact, he thought with a suspicious last look for the walls, Jareth was willing to bet they _had_.   
  
His thin lips curled in disgust as he backed away, vaguely uncomfortable with what he deemed an inappropriate use of magic. Shaking his head, the Goblin King looked around the room, only to smile evilly as his gaze fell alight upon a small, burnished cabinet that sat so innocuously in the corner of the room.   
  
With a long stride, he crossed the room, only to pause briefly as knelt before the strange cabinet. Unable to resist, Jareth's fingers danced along the hard surface of glass and wood, the slender digits working their way beneath the darkened pane that so poorly hid his goal from view. The triumphant grunt escaped his throat as the cabinet doors swung open, his hands. His smile sharpened, his eyeteeth shining into bright points, as he recognized the small black box perched above the moving picture viewer.   
  
Just what he wanted!   
  
Had anyone been in the room at the time, they would have been set slightly aback at the sight of a grown man, strangely elegant in an archaic costume, who sat so exultantly before the television. And undoubtedly, they would have been startled at the blurring speed it took for him to not only turn on the TV, but the VCR as well.   
  
With a grace rarely seen in the Mortal Realm, he twirled his hand as he pressed the "play" button. Standing suddenly, Jareth took several steps back, his mismatched eyes already mesmerized by the flashing lights and echoing sounds emanating from humanity's greatest stealer of time: the boob tube.   
  
  
  


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**Note:** Short chapter but I gotta get back into the story before I seriously start writing again. Sorry!   
  



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